Ring-shaped electric contact-devices



Feb- 2, 1950 J. BORDE ET A1.

RING-SHAPED ELECTRIC CONTACT-DEVICES Filed March 5l, 1958 B \\\\\f//////ll/lf//llllllllllllll///l, IJIIVIIII Irl-.Ill-l f 1 lrl\ B m 3 6 7 o. 1 8 C 4.5." G

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RING-SHAPED ELECTRIC CONTACT-'DEVICES Jean Borde, Paris,.and Pierre Picard, Argenteuil, France, assignorsr to Ny. C O Q, Utrecht,v Netherlands, a company of the etherlands Application March 31, 1958, Serial No. 725,322 Claims priority, application Netherlands April 1, 1957 s claims'. (ci. 20o-163) The invention relates to a ring-shaped electric contact device for cooperation with an axially movable countercontact surrounded by said contact-device, e.g. a counter contact of an electric switch having switching elements adapted to be inserted into and removed from the stationary part of said switch, when the stationary conductors thereof are under tension.

The invention has the object to simplify the construcv tion of such a ring-shaped contact device and to make it cheap, however, without affecting the reliability thereof.

According to the invention this object is gained in that the contact device comprises, in combination, a tube of insulating material, a hole provided in the wall of said tube, a circularly curved metal contact strip closely contacting the inner surface of said tube and having outward bent end portions passed through said hole and a metal terminal member connected to said end portions of the strip loutside the cylindric space surrounded by said strip. This contact ring is held against axial movement relative to the insulating tube by means of the end portions of the contact strip penetrating into the hole of the wallof said tube and by means of the terminal member and/or the connecting parts thereof.

Advantageously the end portions of the contact strip may be bent round a clamping block inserted in the hole of the wall of the insulating tube and firmly held between said block and the terminal member connected to the latter. The end portions of the contact strip may also be firmly held between the bevelled walls of a recess in the side of the terminal member facing the inner space of said tube, said member penetrating into the hole of the wall of said tube, on one side and at least one nutbolt having a fiat conical head passed through a hole of said terminal member on the other side.

For the elucidation of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing. Therein is:

Fig. 1 a sectional elevational view of a portion of Ian electric switch provided with a strip-shaped contact-ring according to the invention,

Fig 2 a plan view of a part of a contact-ring used in the switch shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 a variant of the contact-ring illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the drawing 1 designates a tube of insulating material. Mounted against the inner surface of said tube is a metal contact strip 2, of which the end portions are passed through a hole 3 in the wall of the tube. The end portions of said contact strip are bent round a flat metal clamping block 4 inserted in the hole 3 and said end portions are held firmly between said block and an angular terminal member 6 connected to said block 4 by means of screws 5. The end portions of the contact strip penetrating into the hole 3 and the clamping block 4 inserted in said hole prevent the contact-ring or contact strip 2 to move in axial direction, when the switching element consisting of fixed switching contacts 7, 8 and a movable switching rod 9 and the resilient countercontact 10 mounted on said switching element and directly connected to the fixed switching contacts 7 are moved ICC , member y11 penetrates into the hole 3 of the tube 1 and the end portions Aof the contact-strip 2 are held firmly between the bevelled walls 12 of a recess in the side of said member facing the inner space ofthe tube 1 o`n one vside and the flat conical head 13 of one or more bolts 14 'provided with nuts 15 and passed through yholes of said terminal member 11 onthe other side." It will be obvious that also in this case the contact-strip 2 is held against axial movement.

Within the scope of the invention other ways of attachment of the end portions of the contact-ring or contact-strip 2 to a terminal member are possible.

What we claim is:

l. In a high-voltage polyphase circuit-breaker of the draw-out type, in combination, for each phase a fixed first tubular member made of insulating material, a second tubular member constructed of insulating material disposed concentric with the first member and removable axially therein at will for insertion into operative position axially of the firstv tubular member and withdrawable therefrom, a first fixed contact disposed internally of the first tubular member extending circumferentially against the inner surface of the tubular member and axially of the first tubular member a distance less than the axial length of the first tubular member, a second fixed contact mounted on said second tubular member having contact surfaces extending radially outwardly for slidably engaging the first contact and positioned to make electrical contact with the first contact when the second tubular member is inserted in operative position axially of the first tubular member, said second contact having resilient annular contact surfaces disposed internally of the second member, a third fixed contact disposed axially in said second tubular member axially spaced from the second fixed contact, a make-and-break, movable, electrically conductive rod contact operable axially of the second tubular member to an operative position bridging the first and second fixed contacts and to a position disengaged from the third contact, said first tubular member having an opening in a sidewall thereof aligned with said first fixed contact, a terminal electrical connection to said first contact, and fastening means extending through said opening mounting the terminal connection on said first fixed contact.

2. In a high-voltage polyphase circuit-breaker of the draw-out type, in combination, for each phase a fixed first tubular member made of insulating material, a sect ond tubular member constructed of insulating material vsecond tubular member having contact surfaces extending radially outwardly for slidably engaging the first contact and positioned to make electrical contact with the first contact when the second tubular member is inserted in operative position axially of the first tubular member, said second contact having resilient annular contact surfaces disposed internally of the second member, a third fixed contact disposed axially in said second tubular member axially spaced from the second fixed contact, a makeand-break, movable, electrically conductive rod contact operably axially of the second tubular member to an operative position bridging the first and second fixed contacts and to a position disengaged from the third Contact,

Patented Feb. 2, 1960 v `said first tuhul'armember Yhaving an opening in a side- A wall thereof aligned with said tirstfixed contact,'"ater minai electrical connection.l to said first contact, ,andy

fastening means: extending through said opening r`mount-V ing the terminalfconnection n said rst fixed contact.

3. yIn a'high-voltage' polyphase circuit-breaker actcordf ing to Vciaix'n 2, in which said ring forming the first fixed contact has an offset portioninserted in said. opening,

and in which said fastening means comprises a fastener substantiallyushwwith the inner `surface of the ring Contact.

` 4. In a high-Voltage polyphase circuit-breaker according to claim 3, in whichfsaid offset portion is `clamped between the `fastener` and 'the terminal connection.

Referencesk Cited in the iile of this patent `fUNITED STATES PATENTS v Protz Feb.- 28, 1956 

